Nature in reserve networks
Of the 99 listed sensitive natural areas, 22 are open to the public, 18 have been awarded the Natura 2000 label, such as the Rivière du Vannetin, and 241 are registered as natural areas of ecological, faunistic and floristic interest. Since 1998, the Fontainebleau sector, part of the Gâtinais bocage and the French Gâtinais have been part of UNESCO's world network of Biosphere reserves, a unique grouping in the Ile-de-France region that reconciles biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. These areas include La Bassée, the largest wetland in the Paris region, the Fontainebleau massif, which has been awarded the "forêt d'exception" label, and sensitive natural areas such as the Episy marsh, which is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's green list.
Flora: from urban wasteland to forests
Seine-et-Marne is a region of great natural and landscape diversity, from urban centers to agricultural plains, forest massifs, dry meadows and a whole range of wetlands. Each is home to its own specific flora, reflecting an ecosystem teeming with life - but one that must be preserved! Contrary to popular belief, urban environments are home to a rich diversity of plant species. Abandoned orchards, wastelands, deserted areas bordering railroad lines and disused post-industrial sectors are all home to unique ecosystems teeming with characteristic herbaceous plants such as plantain, chamomile and cymbalaria, to the delight of apprentice botanists and the more experienced alike. This is true of off-the-beaten-track environments such as the Chelles mountain, which the Seine-et-Marne Environnement (SEME) departmental agency aims to help visitors discover on "fête de la nature" days, for example. But in the department, it's the flora of the Fontainebleau massif that takes pride of place, not only for its beauty and importance, but also for the rare species it shelters. The Rocher Canon oak, for example, stands on a rock and has been awarded the "Arbres remarquables de France" label. The forest is mainly made up of oak, Scots pine and beech. As for wetlands, meadows, peat bogs, marshes, ponds and riverbanks, they often feature alders, ashes and a variety of herbaceous plants: water mint, rush, marsh trefoil, etc. Finally, Seine-et-Marne boasts gardens that are also conservatories of biodiversity: the Val des Dames arboretum (Hutinel park) in Gretz-Armainvilliers and the medieval garden of the Commanderie des Templiers in Coulommiers.
Wildlife: on the trails of the deep forests
As in most French forests, the densely wooded areas of Seine-et-Marne are home to a rich and diverse fauna, starting with ungulates (red deer, wild boar, roe deer...) and predators such as red foxes, forest cats and weasels. If you're lucky, you may catch a glimpse of them on a hike. For the more passionate, we can only recommend witnessing the stag's bellow, a hoarse, powerful, low-pitched cry that can only be heard in autumn during the mating season. Every year, this phenomenon attracts visitors to the Fontainebleau forest, guided by a guide. It's an unforgettable experience, because the cry in question, which never fails to impress, is usually accompanied by demonstrative parades, as Monsieur le Cerf seduces Madame la Biche. A unique and touching spectacle to be discovered from places set aside for such occasions. More discreet, the moustached murre, but also garter snakes, lizards, orvets, newts and salamanders also share this immense forest massif. Birdwatchers will easily recognize oak jays, black woodpeckers, tawny owls, warblers, tree finches, torchepot nuthatches and other passerines. To learn more about this subtle world, the Ligue Protectrice des Oiseaux (LPO) regularly organizes walks to help you recognize these species by their song or appearance. The world of tiny creatures - rusty citronella, mottled tortoiseshell, depressed dragonfly, funerary sphex, golden spoonbill, etc. - can be just as fascinating, with aesthetically pleasing insects that reveal their secrets as soon as you take the time to get to know them.
The world of wetlands and dry grasslands
Riverbanks and wetlands - lakes, marshes, rivers, ponds, floodplains - are home to over a hundred species of birds, more than 300 types of insects, as well as mammals (coypu, etc.), amphibians and reptiles. Among them are the metallic-blue dragonflies. A marvel to behold in fine weather, as they swirl over the calm waters or alight on the stems of aquatic plants. Some rare species nest here, such as the wall lizard, the blue-winged cricket, the grey heron and the egrets usually found on the coast. Birds such as the common wagtail, the kingfisher, the common sandpiper and the great crested grebe appear to those who know how to wait. More common are the mallard, mute swan, coot and moorhen. For those who wish to learn more about these remarkable ecosystems, SEME regularly organizes visits throughout the region. Last but not least, fish: river barb, chub, vandoise, gudgeon, hotu, sculpin, loche, catfish, lamprey, yellow eel, gremlin, not forgetting the thick mussel, a freshwater mollusc. Sectors of dry grassland, low-lying farmland or fallow land, and the edges of former gravel or sand pits, are also ideal for observing numerous Lepidoptera (butterflies), Heterocerans (moths) and Orthoptera (crickets, crickets and grasshoppers), as well as certain mammals (bats, rodents, hedgehogs, etc.) and many birds, including corals) and numerous birds, including corvids and passerines such as the yellow bunting... and for the lucky ones, the common buzzard.
